Current Students

General Information

F-1 students must take a minimum of 12 undergraduate credits or 9 graduate credits per semester. Students who do not register for the required number of credits or who withdraw from classes within the semester are in violation of their visa status and may be expelled from the United States. Students do not have to register for classes during the summer months.

Students are expected to complete their degree requirements before the expiration of their I-20. If a student fails a course, the student should attempt to re-take that course during the summer months when possible in order to avoid running out of time and failing to graduate.

F-1 student records are updated and downloaded to the Department of Justice every 60 days.

Non-U.S.citizens must notify Citizenship and Immigration Services of any address change. This should be done within ten days of moving. Please pick up an address correction card at the Office of International Student Services.

Employment

On-Campus Employment

International students with F-1 status must remain full-time students and thus may not engage in unauthorized employment. Students may work on-campus up to a maximum of 20 hours a week during the academic semester and up to 40 hours a week over vacations.

Off-Campus Employment

Following two semesters in student status, international students may work off-campus if approved for one of the following reasons:

OPT – students may work up to a total of 12 months in work related to their major upon completion of studies. If students advance to a higher level of study, an additional 12 months is available to them.
CPT – This employment must be an “integral part of an established curriculum.” CPT may be part-time or full-time. Use of 12 months or more of full-time CPT eliminates eligibility for OPT.
Severe Economic Hardship – F-1 student who has maintained F-1 status for one full academic year and is in good academic standing may apply to USCIS for off-campus employment based on unforeseen severe economic hardship.

Students seeking to engage in off-campus employment should set up a meeting with the Office of International Students Services. In preparation for that meeting, students should fill out the following form: I- 765 (http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/i-765.htm.)

Social Security Cards

Students who plan to work will need a social security number for payment and tax purposes. The nearest Social Security office is located at 1101 West Chester Pike, West Chester, PA 19380. Phone: 800-772-1213. Applications must be made in person and take approximately two weeks to process. The application for a social security number must be accompanied by the following documents:

Passport
Your I-20
Your I-94 Departure Record (the white arrive/departure card that is usually stapled inside your passport.)
A letter from the Office of International Student Services which verifies your status as an F-1 Student and states that you are authorized to engage in on-campus employment, the nature of the employment to be engaged in, and the identification of the employer for whom you, the student, will be working.
A statement from your on-campus employer to prove that you are engaging in, or have secured, employment.

(The new evidence rule does not apply to F-1 students who have an Employment Authorization Document or Curricular Practical Training.)

Social Security will not process an application for a social security number if it is more than 30 days in advance of the scheduled employment start date.

Income Tax

All international students who receive any U.S. funds are required to file an income tax return with the U.S. government before April 15 of the following year. If you were employed, each employer should send you a W-2 form during the month of January listing the amount of your earnings, and federal and state taxes withheld for the previous year. Information about current tax treaties and the procedures for filing income tax returns is available from the University Payroll Office. For questions about federal tax filing refer to the Internal Revenue Service website http://www/irs.gov/.

Driver’s License

You may wish to acquire a valid driver’s license, which is needed to drive a vehicle in the United States. If you have a social security number, you may use that to apply for a Pennsylvania driver’s license. If you do not have a social security number, a letter of rejection from the social security administration is required. If you have an international driving license it is valid for one year and may be renewed annually. The nearest Motor Vehicle Application Centers are located at Frazer/Malvern, Lincoln Court Shopping Center or 2101 Swede Road, Norristown. You may call 1-800-932-4600 for more information.

Banking

As an international student, you may be living on a limited budget. Therefore, it is important that you manage your money carefully. Exercise care in spending money until you have become accustomed to the value of the dollar. It is unwise to carry large amounts of cash. The U.S. is largely a “cash-less” society. Purchases are made by check or credit card. It is possible to write a check almost anywhere in the community with a University ID card or a driver’s license. Having a checking account at a commercial bank is a convenient way to handle finances. Many banks are located close to campus. The bank will ask for your social security number. If you have not as yet received your social security number, you may request a W-8 form. The Office of International Student Services can provide a listing of local banks.

Health Insurance

Health Insurance is required by U.S. Law. Coverage must include accident and illness medical, hospitalization and emergency medical evacuation and repatriation of remains. Student must provide proof of coverage to the Office of International Student Services upon arrival. Students who do not provide proof of insurance will automatically be enrolled in the University medical insurance plan. The plan provides accident and sickness benefit, including medical evacuation and repatriation. Students will receive a brochure describing the plan in detail during orientation. The insurance fee is billed with other University fees when the student registers.

The International Student and the Law

As an international student, you are subject to American laws except those pertaining to immigration, voting rights, and citizenship; you are also protected by American law. Should you come into conflict with the law, the first persons to contact are the Director of Safety and Protection and the Director of International Student Services. They will let you know whom to contact next, either a lawyer or another responsible person. If a student violates the rules of the University and is disciplined by suspension or dismissal from the University, the student’s status changes – this person is no longer a student, has not maintained status as a student under the immigration laws, and can be deported for that reason. One cannot be deported for violating a University regulation, but can be deported for not being a student.

Identification Cards

It is important to have several forms of identification with you. Your Immaculata University ID card is an important form of identification which can be used on and off campus. In order to cash a check, you may be asked to show two forms of identification.

Expired Visa

If your visa has expired and you plan to travel outside the U.S. or if you changed your Visa status while in the U.S., you will need to obtain a new one at an American embassy or consulate abroad preferably in your home country or in the country you are visiting. In case of the latter, be prepared to have a waiting period since documentation needs to be supplied by the embassy or consulate where your first visa was issued. You must have an endorsed I-20 form. A letter from the International Student Advisor certifying your full-time student status is also useful. It is not possible to revalidate your visa while you are in the U.S.

Travel

F-1 students who plan to travel outside the United States must see the Designated School Official to obtain an endorsement. The endorsement is made on the I-20. When returning to the United States, the student must present a valid SEVIS Form I-20 with the DSO signature showing that the student is active and in good standing with Immaculata University.

Transfers

If planning to study at a new school, F-1 students must notify the International Student Advisor at Immaculata University. They must also contact the International Student Advisor at the new school to ask about their transfer procedures. Current USCIS regulations require all F-1 students to register with the International Student Advisor at the new school within 15 days of beginning attendance in order to complete the USCIS transfer process on time. Failure to do so will result in the loss of legal F-1 status. If a student completes a degree at one U.S. institution and plans to pursue another level of education at another institution, the student must apply for the transfer of his/her immigration status to the next school even though this is not considered a transfer for academic purposes. The I-20 of the new school should be issued within 60 days after the student completes his/her studies at the current/previous institution. F-1 students transferring to Immaculata University must complete a Transfer in Form and also have it completed by the International Student Advisor in the school last attended with a request to release the record in SEVIS.

Program Extension

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) allows students in F-1 status to apply for a program extension under certain circumstances. Students who have continually maintained status and whose completion dates will be delayed due to valid academic or medical reasons may request an extension. The student must apply for an extension of program prior to the completion date on the Form I-20. If a student anticipates that he/she cannot complete the program by the end-date, he should contact the International Student Advisor at least two months before the current end date.

Reinstatement

Students who have fallen out of status may have the opportunity of being reinstated by applying to the Department of Homeland Security Service Center. To be eligible for reinstatement the student must:

Not have engaged in unauthorized employment;
Not be in deportation proceedings;
Not have been out of status for more than five months (unless due to exceptional circumstances);
Not have a record of willful violations.

The student seeking reinstatement must provide the following documents to the International Student Advisor:

Letter to USCIS from the student requesting reinstatement and explaining how the violation of status resulted from circumstances beyond his/her control
Form I-539
A copy of Form I-94
The current, original Form I-20
A check or money order in the amount of $340 to USCIS
A copy of the Certification of finances

Applications are made by mail and normally take from six to eight weeks for a decision.

Glossary of Terms

Change of Status
Application process by which a non-immigrant changes from one visa category to another.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

Temporary employment for F-1 students in an internship that is an integral part of an established curriculum at Immaculata University.

Department of State
Responsible for issuing visas, security clearances, and creating/administering federal regulations and policies.

Designated School Official
The school official authorized to issue and sign I-20s. The DSO ensures institutional and individual compliance with the law by interpreting and applying laws and government policies pertaining to F-1 students. Only a DSO may issue and sign the I-20 and create or update SEVIS records. (PDSO, Sister Catarin P. Conjar, DSOs, Sueann Robbins and Kate Kearney)

F-1 Visa
F-1 students are non-immigrants pursuing a full course of study towards a specific educational objective at an academic institution in the U.S. Once the educational objectives have been attained, the U.S. government expects the F-1 student to return to his/her residence abroad.

I-20
Document issued by educational institution to individuals for U.S. entry in F-1 status. Separate I-20 is issued for each dependent (F-2).

I-94
Card issued prior to entering U.S. Immigration officer stamps I-94 to reflect date, port of entry, status granted, and length of stay permitted.

Immaculata University Forms

Certification of Finances
Checklist for International Students
Documents needed for Travel
F-1, CPT application
Filing for OPT
Financial Aid Information
Maintaining Legal Status
International Student Transfer Release Form
Request for less than full time enrollment
Student Health Form
Transfer Out Form

International Student Services

The Office of International Student Services oversees the administration of the F-1 Visa program at Immaculata University. The office is responsible for processing immigration documents required for F-1 student visas, for advising students on maintaining their legal immigration status, and for providing information, assistance, and advice on immigration matters and employment options for international students. The office also serves as a liaison to appropriate local, state, and federal government agencies. The office is the campus center for the coordination of international activities and concerns. It is the contact for entering and returning international students.

Maintaining Status
Abiding by immigration regulations as pertains to the visa category.

National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS)
The requirement of certain temporary foreign visitors of eighteen countries to register with immigration when entering and exiting the U.S.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Temporary employment for practical training in an F-1 student’s major area of study.

Passport
Document issued by home country for travel.

Port of Entry
Place where you enter U.S. and are processed by an immigration official.

Professor
An individual primarily teaching or lecturing at a post-secondary accredited institution.

SEVIS

An internet based tracking systems that allow schools, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State to exchange data on the status of F-1 students.

U.S.Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

U.S.government bureau that is responsible for most immigration benefit applications and petition adjudications.

U.S.VISIT

A system developed by the Department of Homeland Security that uses biometrics to confirm a visitor’s entry into and exit from the United States

Unlawful Presence

A non-immigrant who remains in the U.S. after the period of authorized stay.

Visa

A stamp placed in a passport that allows someone entry into the United States according to the conditions for that visa type.